[Solved] iPhone Proximity Sensor Not Working?

On the front of the iPhone, there is a proximity sensor that detects the distance between the face and the phone's screen through infrared sensors. If it is very close, the screen will be turned off, saving power and avoiding the incorrect manipulation caused by face touching.

However, some Apple users recently found that their iPhone Proximity Sensor not working during their calling and the process of using their iPhone, which brought huge inconvenience for them. So many of them may ask how to fix this problem effectively? If you also encountered the same issue with them, don't be worried too much. This article will analyze the reasons why this situation will happen and provide you the full guides to fix it.

Part 1. What is the Proximity Sensor on iPhone?

Since Apple introduced the iPhone 2G in 2007, all iPhones have been equipped with a Proximity Sensor. It is a built-in feature on iPhone which can help us prevent the false triggering from occurring when we are calling. The trigger mechanism for this function is determined by distance. Your iPhone will be automatically locked and go to a black screen when your phone is very closed to something. So when you make calls or receive calls and hold the phone to your ear, the iPhone will turn off the screen. This feature can help you save power and prevent false manipulation.

As you can see in the picture, the Proximity Sensor will be placed on the top of the iPhone. The place of proximity sensor will be different according to the iPhone models. The first picture is iPhone 2G and the second one is the iPhone 8/ 8 Plus/ X.

Part 2. The Common Issues Caused by iPhone Proximity Sensor Not Working

Here are the common problems you may encounter when the Proximity Sensor not working. If you also have the same situation, there must be something wrong with your iPhone Proximity Sensor.

1. The proximity sensor is always triggered for unknown reasons.
2. Your iPhone screen doesn't go black and be locked during a call (when you hold your phone to your ear).
3. Your iPhone still shows a black screen even nothing close to it.

If you are having this problem, you may want to find out the reasons why these situations will occur on your phone. You are not alone. In the next part, we will help you analyze the reasons why this will happen and tell you what to do.

»See also:Top 4 Ways to Fix iPhone Black Screen Problem

Part 3. Why the Proximity Sensor Not Working on My iPhone?

The reasons why this situation will occur on your phone will be listed as follow:

1. The iPhone's case and screen protector prevent the proximity sensor to work.
2. The iPhone's screen gets broken
3. The hardware has been damaged after a huge hit
4. iOS system issues

Notes: You should know that there is no setting for proximity sensor on your iPhone. This means that you cannot turn off the proximity sensor. And proximity sensor is different form 'Rise to Wake'. Rise to Wake allows the lock screen of your iPhone appears when you raise your iPhone up. You can turn off this function by going to 'Settings'> 'Display' > 'Brightness'.

Part 4. How to Fix iPhone Proximity Sensor Not Working?

Tip 1. Remove the protector and the dirty on your Phone

Try to remove the screen protector and the case, then clean your iPhone's surface thoroughly. A cloth for cleaning spectacles will be a good choice to use. Then you can go to a mirror and put your iPhone to your ear to see whether the proximity sensor is working. If it works, it must be fixed.

Tip 2. Check your iPhone's screen

Put your iPhone under the bright lights, and check if there are some crakes on your screen. If your iPhone's screen was broken, you need to go to the maintenance center to fix it.

Tip 3. Update iPhone iOS system to the latest version

If the iOS system on your iPhone hasn't updated, some system issues in your phone cannot be repaired. So you need to update the system to the latest version to fix the problem. Here are the instructions on updating.

Step 1. Go to 'Setting'> Find 'General'
Step 2. Tap 'Software Update'
Step 3. Choose 'Install Now'

Tip 4. Restart your iPhone

Sometime, you can try to recover your phone back to normal by restarting your iPhone. Here are the detailed steps on restarting.

Step 1. Press the button to which the blue arrow points according to the picture below until your phone's interface appears a slider

Step 2. Drag the slider and wait for 30 seconds to turn off your phone.

Step 3. Press the button shown in the picture again to turn on your phone.

Tip 5. Use an iOS System Recovery software

If iPhone proximity sensor still not working after you have do the 4 tips above, there is likely the iOS system on your iPhone has been damaged for some unknown reasons. Here I will suggest you to use a professional iOS repair tool name TunesKit iOS System Recovery. It can effectively help you solve almost all the iOS system issues like AirPods Won't Connect to iPhone/iPad, iPhone can't Download Apps, etc.

Regarded as one of the best iOS repair tool in 2020, TunesKit can fix 50+ iOS issues without any data loss. It will bring you the highest experience and you even don't need to back up all your data. You just need to follow the easy 3 steps below and you can fix the problem of iPhone proximity sensor not working.

Here are the steps on fixing your problem with TunesKit.

Step 1.Open TunesKit and Connect Your iPhone to PC

Open TunesKit on your computer. Then connect your phone with computer via a USB cable. After the computer has detected your phone, press 'Start'.

Step 2.Select a repairing mode and Download firmware package

To fix proximity sensor not working, you should choose Standard Mode first.

Note: Standard Mode can help you fix the common iOS system issues without any data loss like this one. Advanced Mode can help you fix more serious problems, but it will erase all the data on your devices.

Then, make sure your device info is correct and press 'Download' to download the firmware package.

Step 3. Recover the iOS system

Make sure your iPhone keeps connecting with the computer when it's being recovered. After the firmware package has been downloaded, you just need to click the 'Repair' button and wait for the recovering process finished.

What's more, TunesKit is more than an iOS system repair tool, it can also help you downgrade iOS and fix iTunes error like iTunes error 54, iTunes error 39. It will also provide you the function 1-click to enter/exit recovery mode for free. And more functions are waiting for you to explore, why not download it and have a try?

Tip 6. Reset your iPhone [Factory settings]

Resetting your iPhone to factory settings will erase all the data on your phone. So you must back up all the data first with iTunes or iCloud. To rest your phone, you should do the following steps.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings'> Find 'General'.
Step 2. Press 'Reset' at the bottom
Step 3. Tap 'Erase All Content and Settings'.

The Bottom Line

This article has provided you best 6 tips to fix iPhone proximity sensor not working above. You can follow the steps to fix your problem according your own needs. If you still have any questions about fixing iOS issues or don't know how to use TunesKit iOS system recovery, you can leave your voice below. We will try our best to help you solve your problems.